New housing plan for Amble, same old concerns

James Willoughby

Another housing plan for Amble went on show last week and critics voiced the same concerns – too many homes are being proposed for the town and what about the infrastructure?

Details of a scheme for approximately 190 properties on land west of the A1068 were unveiled by Barton Willmore and Cheviot Holdings Ltd on Thursday.

The public consultation came a week after the same two firms exhibited an emerging scheme to build 275 properties on land at Percy Drive.

Three days prior to that, Arch showed off a proposal for 51 rentable homes on Coquet Enterprise Park.

Hindhaugh Homes is involved in a plan – already lodged with the county council – for 500 homes to the south-east of Acklington Road.

Northumberland’s draft core strategy identifies a need for at least 600 homes in Amble between 2011 and 2031.

At last week’s exhibition, concerns revolved around the swell of housing applications and the impact that hundreds of new homes could have on the town’s infrastructure.

One resident said: “There’s too many houses being planned. The existing facilities can’t cope with this number of new houses.”

Another said: “There’s a big infrastructure problem here, from the roads and the doctors to the cemetery, sewerage and car-parking around the town. Give us the correct infrastructure first, and then build the houses.”

Amble town councillor Terry Barton said: “Amble keeps getting houses thrown at us, but the issues aren’t being addressed – where are the things like the doctors and the dentists coming from?”

The scheme on show last Thursday proposes a range of detached, semi-detached and terraced homes, with areas of open space containing children’s play areas.

A new access point would be created from the A1068 and one of the exhibition boards described the site as a ‘sustainable location for future housing development’.